


The Explorer

by Mez10000



Series: True Names [1]
Category: Tales of Berseria
Genre: M/M, Mid-Game, Oneshot, True Name, cuddly Rokurou, drinking and talking, no big spoilers, then they start talking philosophy, this was meant to be fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-18
Updated: 2018-03-18
Packaged: 2019-04-04 05:23:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,149
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14013102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mez10000/pseuds/Mez10000
Summary: Eizen was more tense than ever, though a good deal of that was the thought of what he was going to say next. It was something he had been weighing up for a long time, unable to make the decision lightly.“I want to tell you my name. My true name.”





	The Explorer

 

There were plenty of places in Titania where a couple could hide away if they so desired. Even the pirates couldn't find a use for every room so Eizen and Rokurou had managed to secure some of the old guard’s quarters to themselves. They were far enough out of the way that they were unlikely to be disturbed, especially this late at night, but they’d secured the doors anyway as a precaution against Kamoana’s unquenchable thirst for exploration.

They were taking advantage of the rare opportunity to have a drink, a talk, and to relax together, in a way that they didn't while on the hunt for therions. As magnificent a ship as the Van Eltia was, it still had the limitations of a ship, and any sailor knew that the idea of privacy on a ship was a polite fiction only made possible by those aboard pretending not to be able to hear every word uttered above a whisper. The women of the party had found that out the hard way, even if the pirates had quickly stopped teasing to spare Eleanor’s blushes and escape Velvet’s wrath. Of course, Magilou had been more amused than anyone and no fear of Velvet to temper her teasing, only adding more fuel to the fire.

Eizen had long since shrugged off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves, sipping a particularly good whiskey he’d had stashed away for just such an occasion. Rokurou was still dressed normally, but the loose clothing was already comfy enough for the daemon, at least for now. His own sake was neglected for the night, in favour of sharing the whiskey. On another night, they’d share the sake or perhaps one of the more interesting casks the Van Eltia had hidden in her depths, but for now the familiar smooth burn of the whiskey was exactly what they needed.

It was a comfortable atmosphere - sometimes they spoke, but neither really needed to fill the companionable silences when they came up. Some nights they fell into bed with a passion born of leftover adrenaline and frustration, other nights they simply enjoyed each other’s closeness, with no expectations of anything more. Tonight was one of those nights, exhausted and just craving closeness that neither of them were willing to admit to in front of the others.

Rokurou draped himself over Eizen’s chest, nuzzling his face into Eizen’s neck. Rokurou had always been more at ease with physical gestures. From a simple clap on the shoulder to their first kiss, Rokurou had always been the one to initiate contact. But with his encouragement, Eizen was learning to loosen up - at least, when it was only the two of them. He was still self-conscious about moving his arm to snake around Rokurou’s back, but the contented little sigh it prompted made the simple touch worth it.

“Rokurou?”

“Hmm?”

Rokurou always seemed so pliant and relaxed after a few drinks. Eizen didn't know how he managed it - he was more tense than ever, though a good deal of that was the thought of what he was going to say next. It was something Eizen had been weighing up for a long time, unable to make the decision lightly.

“I want to tell you my name. My true name.”

Rokurou snapped wide awake, pushing himself up to meet Eizen’s gaze.

“Shit, Eizen, really? I mean, I'm honoured and I know what a big deal this is, but…”

“I want to,” Eizen whispered.

“I can't stop you, just...can I say something first?”

Eizen nodded, more than a little nervous as to where this was going.

“I don't love you,” Rokurou said. There was no negativity to the statement, just a fact, like the sea was wet.

Eizen quirked an eyebrow. “You sure know how to make a guy feel wanted.”

“I just don't think I have the capacity for love. Or hate. All part of being a daemon. Or at least a yaksha - looks like the therions are built a little differently,” Rokurou shrugged.

“I'm well aware.”

Eizen was - the topic had come up before in some of their chats, so none of this was strictly new to him, though this might have been the bluntest Rokurou had ever made the point.

“I just wanted you to know in case that changed your decision.”

If anything, it reassured him he was making the right one. Rokurou went to so much trouble to make sure he was fully aware of all the facts, that Eizen was completely aware of anything that could make him reconsider. The daemon didn’t need to do that, so the fact that he did regardless signalled that he was worthy of Eizen’s trust.

“It doesn't,” Eizen assured him. “And for the record, I'm not so sure malakhim are capable of love either - not exactly the way humans mean it.”

“You mean the whole ‘butterflies and tingly feelings’?” Rokurou made a face.

“The long poems of drowning in endless beauty, the songs about loving blindly at first sight, the tale of two souls fitting perfectly together and no other can ever compare...that kind of love.”

Rokurou snorted. “I'm not even sure humans feel that kind of love. Never happened to me, anyway. Maybe I was too busy for it.”

Eizen could believe that, from what little he had pieced together of Rokurou’s human life. But in all his time shadowing humans, he had never seen compelling evidence of overwhelming romantic love as described in those songs and tales. Lust, he had seen, countless times, but once that had faded, what was left was often a bitter and miserable coexistence.

“Perhaps it doesn't really exist? Just a comforting story humans tell each other to pretend they have found something greater than they have?”

“Maybe? Wouldn't be the first time,” Rokurou shrugged. “All I know is that I enjoy being around you, I trust you to have my back and I like going to bed with you. It's not love, but that might be the closest thing to it a daemon like me can feel.”

“I've heard worse declarations of love,” Eizen mused. “For what it's worth, there's no one else I'd rather trust in battle, no one else I'd rather share a drink with and no one else I'd rather take to bed.”

Rokurou grinned. “So we’re good, then?”

“As good as a couple of rogues like us can be.”

Rokurou returned to getting comfy on Eizen's chest.

“ _Ufemew Wexub_ ,” Eizen whispered. “That's my name. The Explorer.”

“ _Ufemew Wexub_ ,” Rokurou repeated carefully, memorising the syllables of the ancient language. “It suits you.”

It felt nice to hear his name spoken so softly, by someone who knew exactly what it meant to have that knowledge. Someone he trusted to never abuse that knowledge. The malak might not be sure what love really was, but this moment was close enough for him.

**Author's Note:**

> Why am I always in rarepair hell? I really thought there'd be more works for this pairing...which I've apparently taken as a challenge to provide all the works myself. As usual. So there's definitely more coming in the way of Rokurou/Eizen. There's also more coming on the subject of true names because I just got through both Berseria and Zestiria for the first time in the last couple of months and I have a lot of feelings right now.
> 
> Big shout out to my beta reader, Ally, who has had to endure all my thoughts and feelings (and rants...so many rants) on both games.


End file.
